Tony Douglas appointed as CEO of Etihad Aviation Group

The chairman of Etihad Aviation Group, His Excellency Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, today confirmed the appointment of Tony Douglas as group chief executive officer, who will join the company in January 2018.

Douglas joins Etihad from the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence, where he has served as CEO of the defence equipment and support department, responsible for procuring and supporting all the equipment and services for the British Armed Forces.

In the UK, he held senior positions with airport operator BAA, and as chief operating officer and group chief executive designate of Laing O’Rourke. His roles under airport operator BAA included managing director of the Heathrow Terminal 5 project, group supply chain director, group technical director, and CEO of Heathrow Airport.

H.E. Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Board of Etihad Aviation Group, said: “We are delighted to have Tony return to Abu Dhabi to lead Etihad. He has guided the transformation of large organisations in the UAE and the UK, and he understands the UAE and the region. He is also deeply knowledgeable about commercial aviation and keenly familiar with Etihad’s challenges and opportunities in a rapidly changing industry.”

Douglas said: “Etihad is a force in global aviation that must continue to adapt and evolve on its own and with industry partners. It is an economic and employment engine for the UAE and the region. With new infrastructure and attractions like the expanded airport, Louvre Abu Dhabi, and Abu Dhabi Global Market, Etihad has a central role in supporting the UAE’s position as a global hub of transportation, tourism, commerce, and culture.”

Simon Willmore is the editorial director of Travel Daily and a board member of the British Guild of Travel Writers. His writing has covered everything from blogging for National Geographic Traveller to a tech column for a women's magazine to coauthoring five guide books with Rough Guides and Frommer's.